BREGUET NO. 4351, “MONTRE SIMPLE” YELLOW GOLD OPENFACE WATCH WITH ECCENTRIC SECONDS

This rare and impressive ‘Montre Simple’ no. 4351, with its distinctive lateral bridge movement layout is what Breguet termed ‘Nouveau Calibre’ (new calibre). Breguet described a new type of movement that he introduced for simple watches after 1796, following his return to Paris from exile after the French Revolution. Designated as the final development for his watches made without striking or repeating, usually the ‘Nouveau Calibre’ was constructed in a smaller size than the present watch and is rarely seen with a subsidiary dial for the seconds.

Another example of the ‘Montre Simple’ is described and illustrated by George Daniels in: The Art of Breguet (1975), p. 182, ill. 145a-b.